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TEFL to a 4 year old?

Hi there,

I have had no teacher training and no experience of teaching English. I havebeen offered a job teaching English (as a foreign language) and maths to a 4 year old boy. The family have quite high standards of their children and I have been asked to tutor the child for 6/7 hours per day, although the family have made it clear that they do not expect all of this time to be spent with books/paperwork and do understand the need for some games, activities and excursions.

When I met the family the boy had had a bad day. He was angry, rebellious and extremely shy. The family appeared to put a lot of pressure on their children academically and were very worried that the boy was reluctant to read.

If I did things the way I think best I would simply befriend the boy and allow him to lead – following his own natural play and activities while accompanying them with talking and encouraging him in discussion. I think the prime importance is that he gain a positive view of English and learning.

However this is probably not the way the family would want me to do things. The agency that employ me have said I will primarily be a 'governess' to the boy. I'm not sure what that means. I have also been asked to give them a list of the 'materials' I will need.

Does any one have any ideas of lessons, activities, games, resources, books or how to get such a very young child (4 years old) interested and learning English and Maths? He is Russian so he doesn't even have the same alphabet. However his mother says he understands some English.

Re: TEFL to a 4 year old?

Hi, wow that is a lot of hours but I think you are going to have a great time once you get to know the boy better. I teach 6 months - 16 year old kids in Tokyo.

First I would set out a lesson plan for each day, just a rough guide of what you will do. That way the boy will get used to what is going to happen each day. For example:

10:00 - 10:50 - English lesson (I will put an example of this below)

11: 00 - 11: 50 - Math time

12:00 - 13:00 - lunch break and free play

13:00 - 15:00 - go on a little trip to the park, local place and talk about what you see around you

16:00 - 16:50 - English lesson

Keep everything in small chunk. max about 50 minutes so that the boy doesn't get fed up. Remember to keep excited and happy, if you are excited then the boy will be excited.

Example lesson plan:

1. Hello Song
2. Questions (How are you? How is the Weather? etc)
3. Picture dictionary (choose a page in a picture dictionary and go through it together)
4. Sing a song (e.g head and shoulders)
5. Flashcards (pick out a set of flashcards, go through them and then play a game with the cards)
6. Number/ colour/ shape/ alphabet game
7. vocab game (e.g toy fruit, toy transport etc)
8. Sing a song (e.g bus song)
9. writing time (do a sheet of writing for example 'letter A')
10. phonics time (choose a phonics book or sheet)
11. Story time (you read a story to him until he is ready to start reading with your help)
12. play bingo
13. action game (e,g put the bean bag on your head and jump)
14. Goodbye song (signifies the end of the lesson)

I also recommend having a discipline method in place. This can be used even if he is not a bad boy, but it gives him something to aim towards. I have a method on my website about using magnet 'Point Stars'

Games and songs!

Children, especially around 4 years old, learn best when using games and songs. Teach them the vocab first then sing the song together. Treat them as you would your own niece or nephew! Good luck!

Originally Posted by Claire33

Hi there,

I have had no teacher training and no experience of teaching English. I havebeen offered a job teaching English (as a foreign language) and maths to a 4 year old boy. The family have quite high standards of their children and I have been asked to tutor the child for 6/7 hours per day, although the family have made it clear that they do not expect all of this time to be spent with books/paperwork and do understand the need for some games, activities and excursions.

When I met the family the boy had had a bad day. He was angry, rebellious and extremely shy. The family appeared to put a lot of pressure on their children academically and were very worried that the boy was reluctant to read.

If I did things the way I think best I would simply befriend the boy and allow him to lead – following his own natural play and activities while accompanying them with talking and encouraging him in discussion. I think the prime importance is that he gain a positive view of English and learning.

However this is probably not the way the family would want me to do things. The agency that employ me have said I will primarily be a 'governess' to the boy. I'm not sure what that means. I have also been asked to give them a list of the 'materials' I will need.

Does any one have any ideas of lessons, activities, games, resources, books or how to get such a very young child (4 years old) interested and learning English and Maths? He is Russian so he doesn't even have the same alphabet. However his mother says he understands some English.

Re: Games and songs!

I have been teaching many young children in the Moscow western region, Russia since 2008. I recommend you have a look at the Britannia shop in Moscow, http://britannia-elt.ru/
Check-up the Longman Excellent book range starter,1,2, and 3 complete with activity books audio disks, flash-cards and posters. I have had great success with all my pupils using these books.http://www.pearsonelt.com/pearsonelt...hresults.page?

A pupil of whom I taught from 4 years old has now just turned 12. He has recently passed with distinction Cambridge KET for schools, and is now waiting for his Cambridge PET results.